buoyage

Noun

buoyage (countable and uncountable, plural buoyages)

1. A series of buoys or floating beacons to mark the course for vessels.
   • It has not been considered necessary to make any special inspection of particular ports or rivers in the United Kingdom, the greater number of the Committee being already more or less familar with the buoyage of our coasts.1883, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, Parliamentary Papers - Volume 17, page ix
   • There is no description available of the vessel, which served here until it was replaced by buoyage marking these channels .2007, Wayne Kirklin, Lightships: Floating Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic
2. Any of several codes of practice under which buoys of various shapes and colours are used for the same navigational purpose.
   • For the more important channels the marking is done principally by means of buoys, and this makes the buoyage systems of very special importance in North America, and accounts for the large number in proportion to the area considered; more than half of the buoys of the world are in North America.1931, United States Lighthouses Bureau, Buoyage System of the United States, page 2
   • This chart will be affected by the introduction of a new system of buoyage (IALA System A) scheduled for implementation between April and August 1977.1977, Summary of Corrections, pages 3-139
3. A fee charged to all boats that use waters that are marked with buoys, which goes to their maintenance.
   • The Corporation of the Trinity House supply the Humber with buoys and lights, and license pilots; all vessels pay buoyage, and a primage is paid on the cargoes from foreign vessels; and this Corporation also appoint the dock and harbour-masters.1863, J. Baxter Langley, The Illustrated Official Guide and Tourist's Hand Book to the North Eastern Railway, page 74
   • Another great drawback for ships coming here is the heavy tonnage dues which are laid on every outgoing ship and the heavy buoyage tax levied on the steamers.1885, United States Consular Reports - Issues 53-56, page 52